


Secret Santa

by v23474



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 17:57:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3077951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/v23474/pseuds/v23474
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Fluffy AU which may have Spoilers for Season Two</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secret Santa

Ward wondered whether he was doing the right thing. He wasn't sure of the protocol when someone returns to the family home at Christmas.  
He thought of the classic poem; 'Twas The Night Before Christmas as he crept through the semi-darkness carrying a sack over his shoulder.

No beard or red coat for him and the family home just so happened to be a top secret base.

Ward stopped at the first "bunk" and rummaged in the sack. In the dim light he found a parcel with Fitz written on the label. He carefully placed the parcel in front of the closed door and tip-toed away.  
He repeated the action for the each bunk, allowing himself a smile as he reached Skye's room. He wanted to knock on the door but didn't want to disturb her sleep.  
The morning wasn't far away.

Ward retreated to the couch in the rec room without waking up anyone on the base. They weren't expecting him back until tomorrow anyway so he snuggled under a blanket and closed his eyes, trying not to get excited for Christmas and failing spectacularly.

A few hours later hushed voices gradually began to fill the base as people woke up.

Well, mainly hushed voices. Skye, however was squealing with excitement.

"SECRET SANTA!" she yelled, "This is awesome!"

She stood in the rec room still wearing her pyjamas, her hair pulled back into a messy bedtime ponytail. She clutched her parcel in her hand, the wrapping paper dangling askew from it.

"It's exciting, I must admit," Jemma said. She was wearing her gift, a delicate silver chain with a Caduceus pendant, "What did you get?" she asked Skye.

"A relaxation and aromatherapy kit," Skye replied, "Should come in very handy," she grinned shyly.

Jemma smiled, Skye was just starting to be able to make a joke at the expense of her newly discovered abilities. 

As Skye messily discarded the wrapping paper from her gift, Jemma spotted a small box tucked within the folds.

"There's something else too!" she said.

Skye scooped up the smaller box before it fell to the floor. There was a card attached which read "Open this when you've guessed who your Secret Santa is"

She was saved from further questions from Jemma with the arrival, all at once it seemed, of Fitz, Bobbi, Mack, Coulson and Lance.

Each one of them were holding gifts and wrapping paper. 

Fitz was thrilled with a pair of grippers, the kind used to strengthen the muscles of the hands.

Bobbi carried a silk scarf decorated with mockingbirds, Lance was wearing an antique cowboy hat, while Mack was delighted with a Lego model of Lola and a mechanics toolbox made out of chocolate.

Coulson was equally thrilled with his Captain America socks and tie.

The excitement in the room became muted when May walked in a few minutes later. She didn't look full of Christmas joy, instead she regarded her unopened Secret Santa gift with suspicion. 

"Someone has been sneaking around the base and none of you are worried about this?" she said.

"No alarms were set off," a new voice replied. 

The team turned and came face to face with one of the Koenig 'brothers' wearing a jaunty Christmas hat.

"Yeah, so c'mon May, what did you get from Santa?" Coulson asked, jovially, satisfied that there had been no security breach.

Sensing that she had lost the battle to be the serious and sensible one, Melinda May carefully unwrapped her gift and found a beautiful pair of soft leather gloves in a velvet lined box.

She gasped with surprise as she put them on. They fit perfectly. 

Watching May's expression change from stern to delighted made Skye squeal again, "This is perfect! Which one of you did all this?"

The team all looked at each other, baffled.

Coulson broke the silence, "Let's get the mundane essentials done first, then we'll have a family breakfast and figure it out."

The team left the Rec Room, scattering in different directions.

When all was quiet again, Ward got off the couch and folded up the blanket. He was amazed no-one had spotted him but he was happy to have heard all the excitement.

Skye meanwhile, returned to her bunk and held the small box in her hand, she read the card again, before turning the box over a couple of times. Her heart was thudding in her chest as she opened the pretty box.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she lifted out a beautiful silver chain. An amethyst point crystal pendant swung delicately accompanied by a silver pawprint charm and a silver envelope engraved on one side with the words "Believe In Yourself and on the reverse, "As I Believe In You..."

Tears stung Skye's eyes and they fell unchecked as she whispered, "Ward!"

That was all he needed to hear as he stood in the doorway.

It had all been planned, a mere month ago. Coulson and May had met up with Ward and after a lot of talking and input from the rest if the team, it was agreed that he would return to the base as a respected asset. Grant Ward would finally have a place he could call home and a ragtag family he could rely on and protect.

All he asked was for Coulson and May to keep his return a secret from Skye, because he wanted to surprise her.

The Secret Santa was solely Ward's idea. He chose each gift with care. To be able to give gifts to the people he cared so much about made Christmas special for him.

He didn't forget Antoine Triplett either, he planted an oak tree sapling and he named a star for him.

Ward didn't step into Skye's room until she turned and saw him in the doorway.

He waited for her to invite him in and even then he didn't try to touch her until Skye made the first move and pulled him gently towards her.

Ward could now finally hold Skye in his arms, no hidden agenda, no secrets.

Their first kiss, their first proper kiss without the threat of death and destruction around them, was everything they had dreamed of. It wasn't Hollywood perfect, there were no fireworks or soft focus lighting.

It was just the two of them, two souls, once thought lost but now together again...

Skye had changed, Ward knew that, but so had he and he vowed to love her and protect her, whatever happened next.

As for the team, they didn't question why Skye was absent for the rest of the day and night...


End file.
